A week later and I'm still waiting for the promised stickers from Lipault so I can return the not-fit-for-purpose-intended case. No sign of the website having been changed either.
What DID arrive today was the child's Samsonite case from
www.jeteasy.ie who describe is as a "Big Chief" design.
Weight, no more than 1.5kgs ^^^
My own measurements, taken at the widest points and including handles and wheels:
Depth 18cm unpacked, or 20, 21 and up to 23 if you REALLY stuff it.
Width 38cm (will widen to 40cm when jammed full)
Height 50cm
Handle extends to 81cm. I'm 165cms tall (5ft 6?) and this is fine for me, better than I had expected. But this will be a problem for anybody taller.
If you're my height or shorter, want some truly ultralight luggage you can confidently take onboard Air China, Austrian Airlines or a LCC, this is one to consider.
There is an oddity with this cabin case that is worth bearing in mind. The lid of the case is soft and will expand considerably. When you open up the lid there is a wall of netting that covers the bottom 70% or so of the recess under cover flap. At the top part the netting stops and there is a wide gap so you can slide your hand into it to stuff in clothes and magazines. Other cases have a similar net which will cover the entire lid and you'd get access using a zipper.
Ordinarily, this could be an inconvenient nuisance. On the up side, it truly is the perfect place to stash packing cubes. And the packing cubes can also ensure that the suitcase lid doesn't expand too far and stays within the 20cm limit as needed.
Even with the unmovable net there, this case still fulfills my own cabin luggage requirement; can I get two pillows into the case?
From this test, it's hard to see a difference between this case and the technically larger (and considerably heavier) Lipault. And that net means you can STILLl get some thin packing cubes inside where the airline allows bags with a 23cm depth.
The compression straps are in a cross shape with one buckle, but they are effective and the telescopic handle can be zipped out of sight. Only thing missing is a front compartment with zipper for stashing travel documents, but LapChild won't need this for quite a few years.
All in all, very hard to imagine a more suitable case (it's only the fact that it's 2 wheels instead of 4 that gives me cause to not be entirely satisfied). And this would be very, very easy to customise so that it gives up its big chief vibe.
What a shame that Samsonite's new children's range don't reflect the realities of flying that so many of us experience.